A creative angler is always looking for the edge that will help him or her catch more fish. Take for example the popular Fluke manufactured by Zoom. Fluke baits are long, narrow plastic bass lures with a soft, rubbery feel that glide and swoop easily through the water with a twitch of the rod tip. They're designed to look like baitfish. Used weightless they imitate a fleeing baitfish.

Cast the lure a short distance and let it slowly sink for a few seconds. With a light jerk of the line, the fisherman yanks the fluke back up to the surface, where it swims with a realistic wiggle before slowly sinking again. Fluke baits are particularly effective in the post-spawn of late June when bass are fattening up on shad minnows.

Use weight to get down around fish-holding structure or deep into brush.

Rig Texas rig with no weight, or Carolina rig. With a Texas rig, the hook is first pierced through the nose of the lure and then the tip of the hook is buried in the lure's belly to decrease snags.

Pro angler, Randy Allen inserts an aluminum nail into a Fluke’s head, adding weight. He also dips the baits tail in chartreuse JJ’s Magic Dippin’ Dye and lathers the Fluke in crawfish or baitfish Smelly Jelly

His “absolute favorite” two colors are watermelon/gold and green pumpkin/candy, the latter a custom color that seems to be more effective in clearer water.

Allen said he mostly fishes the Fluke in 2- to 6-foot depths, particularly around grassy areas and structure early, then uses a Carolina rig to probe deeper depths later in the day.

Carolina-rigged, Allen favors a 7-foot-5 GLoomis medium heavy or heavy baitcasting rod and a Shimano Metanium reel with a 7.5:1 ratio. Otherwise, he uses a 7-foot Power Tackle rod.

Allen fishes the Carolina-rigged Fluke on 17-pound Seagaur Tatsu fluorocarbon tied to 40-pound Power Pro braid. Otherwise, he uses 15-pound fluorocarbon.

The Fluke, a versatile bait for bass. Fish it as a topwater bait; fish deep in weeds or other lure grabbing structure. Texas rigged or Carolina rigged.